After leaving the forbidden area in the back hills, Su Chen returned to his quiet little courtyard.
Everything had settled down.
He had done everything that needed doing. Now he just had to wait for Du Busi and Zhang Lexuan to finish absorbing the Immortal Herbs. The Body Sect's strength would then undergo a qualitative leap.
With some rare free time on his hands, Su Chen didn't choose to rest. Instead, he opened the simulator panel.
More precisely, ever since he'd achieved the perfect "Flawless Clear" achievement last time, the simulator—which had once been rigid and unchanging—seemed to have activated some hidden mechanism. It had undergone a complete transformation.
In the past, simulations had all come down to luck.
Talent was random, birth was random, even death was random... Su Chen had been like a spectator, forced to accept whatever fate dealt him.
But now, version 2.0 was live!
The first thing that caught his eye was a brand-new attribute panel:
[--------------------------------] [Current Simulation Attributes (Available to Assign):] [Foundation: 0 (Determines cultivation limit)] [Comprehension: 0 (Determines speed of understanding)] [Family Background: 0 (Determines starting resources)] [Remaining Gold Soul Coins: XXXX] [--------------------------------]
"So... pay to change my fate?"
Su Chen's eyes lit up as he quickly figured out the rules.
Simple and straightforward: 100 Gold Soul Coins = 1 attribute point.
The maximum for any one attribute was 100 points.
In other words, as long as Su Chen had the money, he could build himself into a "super rich kid" with heaven-defying talent, peerless comprehension, and an illustrious family before the simulation even began!
He couldn't bring his real-world money into the simulation directly, but he could use it to buy himself a "starting cheat." This feature was practically generous!
But that wasn't what excited Su Chen most.
Beneath the attribute panel was a new module glowing bloodred—
[Fourth Calamity Mode] [Difficulty Levels: Easy, Hard, Hell, Nightmare.]
Su Chen read the description carefully, and the corners of his mouth gradually curled upward.
The so-called "Fourth Calamity" meant that during a simulation, a special individual with the traits of a "player" or "transmigrator" would be dropped in at random.
It was a hunting game!
The rules were brutal, but tempting:
If Su Chen successfully killed the "Fourth Calamity" in the simulation, he'd be able to inherit all of their talents, skills, and even special items with 100% certainty when the results were tallied!
On the other hand, if he got killed in the simulator, 30% of his subsequent rewards would be forcibly deducted!
"Interesting..."
Su Chen raised an eyebrow. The fighting spirit in his eyes only grew stronger.
How was this making things harder? It was practically a delivery service!
If he set the Fourth Calamity's difficulty to Easy every time, wouldn't this so-called Fourth Calamity be a complete pushover?
How hard could it be to start with Luo Sanpao as your Martial Soul?
Could it really turn the world upside down?
Did it honestly think that feeding it a few carrots would make it mutate into a Golden Sacred Dragon?
As if!
With Innate Soul Power of just half a level, even if it worked hard, it might not break through to level thirty Soul Power until it was fifty.
A Martial Soul like Luo Sanpao wouldn't even qualify for Shrek.
Forget getting into Shrek—even Tang Ya would laugh before reluctantly turning it down, and the Tang Sect was as down on its luck as it could get these days.
Originally, all Su Chen had to do in the simulation was deal with the God King Tang San. Now there was also an unknown "Fourth Calamity."
With a God King scheming against him on one side and a player stirring up trouble on the other—
This was the kind of trial a strong person deserved!
"Too bad..."
Su Chen looked at the dimmed "Start Simulation" button and sighed helplessly.
"I'm out of simulation attempts. Otherwise, I'd definitely give 'Nightmare Mode' a try!"
Time slipped away, swift as a white pony flashing past a crack.
Before long, three months had quietly passed.
During those three months, Su Chen had immersed himself in cultivation as completely as a seated monk.
As he continued refining the remaining medicinal power of the Immortal Herb in his body, Su Chen could feel his Soul Power rising. As for just how much stronger he'd become, even he found it hard to estimate.
Still, he should have no problem absorbing a sixty-thousand-year Soul Ring now.
"Xiao Chen! I've broken through!"
Just then, the door that had been shut tight was flung open.
A warm female voice, brimming with excitement she could barely contain, swept into the quiet room like an oriole emerging from the valley.
It was Zhang Lexuan.
"My Soul Power... actually broke through all the way to level eighty-seven!"
"This is unbelievable!"
Su Chen slowly opened his eyes. He was just about to congratulate her when his gaze landed on the beauty before him—and froze.
The words at the tip of his tongue died in his throat.
Because the scene before him was simply... too shocking!
Zhang Lexuan had clearly just finished cultivating. She was still wearing that familiar, loose white silk nightgown.
Su Chen had seen her in this outfit back in Heaven Dou City and thought she looked gentle and lovely then.
What he could never have expected was that after Zhang Lexuan absorbed the Immortal Herb Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, her transformation over these three months would be so... direct and dramatic!
It was downright unfair!
The loose nightgown, which had once hung somewhat loosely, was now stretched taut over her stunning curves, as if it might burst at any moment.
Her lush figure was enough to set any man's blood racing, its mature, distinctly feminine fullness pressing irresistibly upon the senses!
That wasn't all. The medicinal effects of the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone had refined her skin until it was as smooth and delicate as white jade.
Below the hem of her nightgown, her long, straight, snow-white legs were fully on display. They had not an ounce of excess flesh, and gleamed alluringly in the light.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes brimmed with warmth, and her whole being radiated a heart-stirring charm.
Su Chen drew a deep breath and felt his throat grow dry.
She was a walking weapon of mass destruction!
Su Chen could only marvel: this upgrade was seriously overpowered!
"Of course. The power of an Immortal Herb is just that overpowered, sis.
"As long as you keep working hard and refine the remaining medicinal power, you'll be able to strive for the Titled Douluo realm in three years? No—in two, perhaps!"
Su Chen's words were full of confidence.
Only he knew what he had changed.
In the original timeline, Zhang Lexuan had been forced to absorb that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Not only had she nearly died in the process, but afterward she'd spent years bedridden, unable to make the slightest progress in Soul Power and left with lasting internal injuries.
But now, everything had changed.
With the Immortal Herb protecting her and his help, Zhang Lexuan had not only absorbed the Soul Ring perfectly, but had also turned misfortune into fortune. Her foundation had become deeper than ever before!
"Within three years... a Titled Douluo?"
Zhang Lexuan blinked her gentle, moonlight-like eyes, seeming unable to believe it.
Before this, it was something she'd never even dared to imagine.
Even Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo and the pillar of Shrek Academy, hadn't become a Titled Douluo until after he turned thirty.
And now she might be able to break his record?
Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath and felt the surging Soul Power coursing through her. She knew this wasn't a dream.
And Xiao Chen had brought about all these miracles.
If it weren't for Xiao Chen...
"Xiao Chen..."
A thousand words melted into tender affection.
Overcome with emotion, Zhang Lexuan could no longer contain her excitement. She rushed forward and gave Su Chen a big, tight hug!
Her warm, soft body filled his arms, and its astonishing suppleness made Su Chen's heart skip a beat.
"Ahem... um, sis..."
Feeling the softness in his arms, Su Chen blushed and let his gaze wander.
"I'm touched, really, but... don't you think you should get dressed before hugging me?"
She'd been trying to cool down while absorbing the Soul Ring, and the surging Soul Power had left her clothes in disarray. Large patches of her fair skin peeked out, making for quite a view.
"Oh, what are you afraid of?"
At that, Zhang Lexuan didn't let go. If anything, she hugged him tighter.
She lifted her head, her lovely, refined face wearing a teasing smile, and replied as if it were perfectly obvious:
"I'm your big sister! You're my little brother! Do we really have to be so formal with each other?"
"Have you forgotten? I used to bathe you when you were little. Whenever you woke up from a nightmare and cried, wasn't I always the one who held you and soothed you to sleep?"
As she spoke, she lightly tapped Su Chen on the forehead with her jade-white finger. Her voice carried a touch of affection and teasing:
"What's the matter? You've grown up, got a little confident, and now you're shy in front of your big sister?"
Su Chen: "..."
Faced with the crushing force of that embarrassing childhood history, Su Chen opened his mouth, then decided to keep it shut.
Fine. You're the big sister, so you're right.
I'm not the one losing out anyway.
Before you continue